Calibration 2
S-Series Oscilloscopes Service Guide 15
Running a User Calibration
The user calibration uses signals generated in the oscilloscope to calibrate
channel scale, offsets, and trigger parameters.
When to perform a user calibration:
• Standard calibration only—When the oscilloscope’s operating temperature
(after the 30-minute warm-up period) is more than ±5
°C different from that of
the last calibration. Be sure to perform a standard user calibration (do not
perform the time scale cal)—even if one was recently performed—when
environmental temperature conditions cause the oscilloscope’s operating
temperature to change, such as when the oscilloscope is moved to a test rack
or chamber.
• Standard and time scale cal—When it has been more than 1 year since the last
time scale calibration, and when you replace the acquisition board.
Performing a user calibration will invalidate the oscilloscope’s Certificate of
Calibration. If NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) traceability is
required, perform the procedures in Chapter 3 using traceable sources.
Equipment required
Calibration time
It takes approximately 1 hour to run the user calibration on the oscilloscope,
including the time required to change cables from channel to channel.
The oscilloscope must be warmed up (with the oscilloscope application running) for at least
30 minutes at ambient temperature before starting the calibration procedure. Failure to allow
warm up may result in inaccurate calibration.
Equipment Critical specifications Recommended part number
50 Ω BNC Cable 50 Ω characteristic impedance
BNC cable
54609-61609
10 MHz Signal Source (required for
time scale calibration)
Frequency accuracy better than
±41 ppb
53131A with Opt. 012
MSO calibration fixture that ships
with the oscilloscope (MSO models
only)
1250-3817
MSO cable that ships with the
oscilloscope (MSO models only)
54904-61622
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